Overview

William Lamar Beane III, born on March 29, 1962, is an American former professional baseball player and current front office executive. He is currently senior advisor to owner John Fisher and minority owner of the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB) and formerly the executive vice president of baseball operations. From 1984 to 1989 he played in MLB as an outfielder for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics. He joined the Athletics’ front office as a scout in 1990, was named general manager after the 1997 season, and was promoted to executive vice president after the 2015 season. Beane is also minority owner of soccer clubs Barnsley of the EFL League One in England and AZ Alkmaar of the Eredivisie in the Netherlands. Beane is best known for his innovative approach to baseball management, using statistical analysis (sabermetrics) to identify undervalued players. His methods are chronicled in Michael Lewis’s book ‘Moneyball,’ which was later adapted into a film.

Oakland Athletics

Senior Advisor

What Is Billy Beane’s Net Worth?

Billy Beane, a prominent figure in American baseball, boasts a net worth of $20 million. His annual salary stands at $3 million. This financial standing is primarily attributed to his successful career as a front office executive and his strategic ventures in various sports and industries.

Early Life and Education

William Lamar Beane III was born on March 29, 1962, in Orlando, Florida. He spent his formative years in Mayport, Florida, and San Diego, California, growing up in a military family. Beane honed his pitching skills under the guidance of his father, a naval officer. In San Diego, he attended high school, where he excelled in baseball, football, and basketball, eventually focusing on baseball during his senior years. His exceptional performance in high school attracted the attention of numerous baseball scouts.

Baseball Career: From Player to Executive

Beane’s professional baseball journey commenced with the New York Mets, where he received a $125,000 signing bonus. Although he had plans to attend Stanford University, the lucrative offer from the Mets swayed him to pursue a career in professional baseball. However, his performance in the lower leagues did not meet expectations, and his batting average declined. Despite this, he was promoted to Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1984. After playing for the Mets, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins. His performance continued to be underwhelming, leading to another trade to the Detroit Tigers in 1988, where he played only six games before becoming a free agent.

In 1989, Beane signed with the Oakland Athletics. By the end of the 1990 season, he was demoted to the minor leagues. Frustrated with his playing career, Beane transitioned to scouting.

Front Office Career with the Oakland Athletics

The Athletics hired Beane as an advance scout from 1990 to 1993. He was then promoted to Assistant General Manager. Following the death of owner Walter A. Haas, Jr. in 1995, the new owners tasked Beane with reducing costs. This situation led Beane and General Manager Sandy Alderson to implement a sabermetric system, which statistically analyzed players to identify undervalued talent. This approach allowed the Athletics to achieve success despite operating with a limited budget. In 1997, Beane became the General Manager (GM) of the team. In 2002, the Athletics achieved a record-breaking 20-game winning streak.

In 2002, Beane declined a lucrative offer from the Boston Red Sox, who proposed a five-year contract worth $12.5 million, which would have made him the highest-paid General Manager in sports at the time. Instead, he chose to remain with the Athletics, earning a salary of $1 million. As a reward for his loyalty, the new team owner granted Beane a partial ownership stake in the team. By 2015, Beane was promoted to Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, and David Forst succeeded him as GM.

Ventures Beyond Baseball

Beane has expanded his interests beyond baseball. He applied his analytical approach to soccer players after the Athletics owners acquired a stake in the San Jose Earthquakes. Over time, Beane cultivated relationships with prominent managers in English football. In 2015, he became an advisor to Robert Eenhoorn, the general director of AZ Alkmaar. In 2017, Beane joined a consortium that purchased the English team Barnsley FC, which plays in the EFL Championship. He also co-owns AZ Alkmaar, a Dutch soccer team in the Eredivisie.

Beane’s ventures are not limited to sports. He served on the board of directors for NetSuite, a software company, from 2007 until its acquisition by Oracle for $9 billion in 2016. Furthermore, he was a consultant during the development of the video game “MLB Front Office Manager.”

Baseball Salary Details

As mentioned previously, Billy Beane declined a $12.5-million, five-year contract with the Red Sox, a deal that would have made him the highest-paid General Manager in sports history up to that point. Instead, he opted to continue earning a salary of $1 million with the Oakland A’s. In 2015, he transitioned to the role of Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, with David Forst taking over as GM.

NetSuite Compensation

From 2007 until its acquisition by Oracle for $9 billion in 2016, Billy Beane served as a member of the Board of Directors of cloud computing company NetSuite. Between 2007 and 2014, Beane earned approximately $4 million for his services at NetSuite. This compensation was primarily in the form of stock options and other equity-based awards.

Real Estate Investments

In 2002, Billy Beane purchased a home in Danville, California, for $1.735 million. The property, described by some as a “McMansion,” features amenities such as an outdoor pool. In 2013, Beane and his wife listed the property for $1.895 million. The exact details of the sale are not publicly available, but it is believed that the property was sold close to the asking price.

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